A Night at the NSW Gallery
The Kaimera Group’s recently implemented Creative Strategy kicked off with a night at the NSW Gallery, where a group of us took part in an Art After Hours Portrait Session. This unique experience not only helped us unwind and refresh our minds but also pushed us outside our Elizabeth Street comfort bubble, encouraging diverse thinking and creative exploration.
Our session began with a thought-provoking task: to reflect on a specific problem we were facing, either at work or in our everyday lives, and relate our key takeaways from the evening to our experiences throughout the week. As we walked through the gallery, surrounded by the vast array of artwork the Gallery of NSW boasts, I felt an immediate shift in the environment. Our jam-packed workdays, filled with lengthy to-do lists and tight deadlines, often leave us with little time to observe, interpret, and express our thoughts. However, being in this inspiring atmosphere set the tone for what was to come.
We then began our portrait session, with free reign over materials, artistic style and subject matter- it seemed pretty overwhelming and off-piste from our regulated deliverables. It was interesting to see how differently we all worked and approached the task, but it really made me appreciate other’s perspectives and how everyone’s work style is so different. This experience underscored the close-knit nature of the Kaimera Group, highlighting our ability to encourage and value each other's contributions—an ethos that shines through our larger office environment.
Taking this small fraction of time out of my week left me feeling calmer and more disconnected from daily distractions. What I found so enjoyable and unique about the experience was the unrestrained approach everyone in the group adopted. As young children, we engaged in activities purely for fun, without worrying about the outcome. As adults, we often shy away from this out of fear of underperforming. However, creating something new felt rewarding and motivated us to embrace new challenges. This is a key takeaway from this task; while it may not have been a daily activity for us, we all tackled it and produced a piece of art. This demonstrates our innate ability to adapt and acquire new skills.
Within the media industry, creativity is crucial for storytelling and visual communication. Nowadays with the rise of AI and the endless bank of automated processes, it seems that these skills are being given the cold shoulder. But ultimately, creativity is what will differentiate us and innovate the Kaimera Group as an agency! The fear of making a mistake or not producing a “perfect picture” needs to be debunked in the office environment, just as we did in the gallery, to explore new opportunities. By embracing creativity, we can continue to thrive in the ever-evolving media landscape.
